With a 9-2 loss to Millbrook on April 30, Leesville’s first official lacrosse season came to a bittersweet end. The team, coached by Mr. Fullbright, had an impressive record of 8 wins and 8 losses. This was the first year the team played, and for most players on the team, they hadn’t ever played before.
“I loved it. We started out really, really bad but everyday we got better. We all worked hard and it was fun to watch everyone grow as a player and as a team,” Daniel Collins, junior, said.
Lacrosse first started as a club. A small group of Leesville students would get together and learn how to play. At first, the club had little interest and few dedicated students. The thought of forming an actual team seemed impossible. Eventually, as more and more seniors and juniors became interested and learned how to play, the club kept growing,and they were able to form a real team.
“I think we did well for a first-year program, but we probably could’ve done better,” Kyle Stephens, senior said.
Now that the players know how to play the game and have mastered the rules, they can now focus on improving their technique and strategy.
“[Next year’s team has] a long way to go. The younger players take it more seriously than the seniors did. I definitely think that they will improve,” Brendan Lough, senior, said.
The team has high hopes for next year. Said Collins, “I hope that next year we will be good enough to make playoffs. I want the school to take the sport more seriously, too. I think lacrosse is more fun to watch than football and if the Loonies come out to watch us next year, I think they’d love it. It would be nice to have support.”
Mr. Fullbright, head coach, reflected on the season: “I’m extremely pleased with our season. The players did a great job of laying the foundation of yet another athletic program that will represent the Leesville school and community in a positive manner. The players worked extremely hard, did everything that their coaches asked of them, and I expect the same approach next year.”
